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Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Researching female ancestors during the American Civil War

This month as we focus on women in history, Gena Philibert-Ortega provides information on researching women in the Civil War era. On both sides of the battle, with so many husbands, sons, and brothers at war, women "took over for the men on the home front." Seems this pattern repeats itself each time a nation goes to war. Researching the women on our family tree is always a challenge, as a woman's individual identity is absorbed in taking her husband's name. In her article, "Researching Women Ancestors in the American Civil War," Gina directs us to a variety of sources to help identify these courageous women and understand more about their life and times.